Ramiro Ascencio Nevarez was an employee of a public Mexican university and was responsible for maintaining the university’s aviation equipment.

According to the DOJ, between 2012 and 2016, Nevarez conspired to commit money laundering in connection with a scheme to accept improper payments involving at least two executives of U.S.-based aviation companies. Nevarez allegedly agreed to accept bribes in exchange for diverting business to the aviation companies. The aviation executives allegedly disguised the payments by creating false commission agreements to pay Nevarez for work that he never rendered.

On December 27, 2016, after unsealing the DOJ’s information, the DOJ announced that on March 4, 2016, Nevarez had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. On May 27, 2016, Nevarez was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $138,235.